1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of finely ground materials preparation and in particular how such processes combine with continuous methods for coating extremely-fine particulates with polymeric material or other coating materials.
2. Background of the Invention
Finely ground particulates are known to have widespread applicability in a number of industries including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, industrial coatings and energetics (i.e., propellants, explosives). In a number of these applications, the particulates must be coated with certain other material(s) that impart desirable physical and/or mechanical and/or chemical characteristics to the particulates. Such particulate coatings include lubricants, barrier films, wetting agents, polymers and/or monomers.
One particularly important coated fine particulate is the extremely energetic, high explosive cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX). Finely ground RDX is currently being employed as an ingredient in new Insensitive Munition (IM) explosive formulations and as an energetic enhancer in propellant formulations. Coating these materials generally enhances processability, safety and shelf life.
Presently, super-fine, coated RDX is manufactured in a multi-step process which unfortunately exhibits a significant rework potential. Manufacturing methods that do not suffer from this rework infirmity would therefore represent a significant advance in the art and, in the particular case of energetics, the safety of the end product(s).